Forensic Anthropology Research Paper

Forensic Anthropology is the examination of human skeletal remains for law enforcement agencies to determine the identity of unidentified bones.
( http://fac.utk.edu/forensic.html ) The forensic branch is under the biological section of the anthropology hierarchy. Forensic anthropology is a relatively new career choice in the biology field. It was first brought around in the late 1800’s by Thomas Dwight. In 1894 he gave a lecture on anthropology in the forensic field at Harvard University therefore earning himself the nickname “Father of Forensic Anthropology.” This is the time many federal agencies began hiring professional anthropologists to find cause and / or time of death. To determine cause, time, age, sex, and ancestry anthropologists
Flesh flies make an appearance soon after decay begins. The level of decay can determine how long the corpse has been dead. Level of decay can make identifying the victim very easy or difficult. Identification can be found through facial reconstruction of the victim. If the skull is damaged it may need to be pieced back together before reconstruction can occur. When the skull is repaired markers are used to indicate tissue depth. Clay is then laid in strips filling in around the markers to show face shape. Contours are smoothed and small details are added to personalize the reconstruction. Although facial reconstruction is not completely accurate because skulls do not show soft - tissue details, they can possibly give remains an identity. The picture below shows the steps of facial reconstruction as they would be followed by in investigation. As with many professions, this will require extensive education. A masters degree is required, but a Ph.D. would most likely be the only way to receive a job in the field. First, a bachelors degree in anthropology is needed in conjunction with anatomy, biology, chemistry, physiology, and genetics. When finished with the basics, applying to a graduate program is the next step. To pursue a career in forensic anthropology students should specialize in osteology and physical anthropology. To earn a Ph.D. can take upwards of five years to complete. A strong knowledge of the court system is also a skill to acquire. Taking a law or government class would be beneficial. Forensic anthropologist are sometimes required to testify against a suspect about the injuries and / or the identity of the victim. This can be helpful with the types of cases they work on. Usually these cases are mysteries. If a body is found with no telling to who killed them or what happened to cause the death of the person is one type of case. Another is